Ziba Meets David

16 When David had passed a short way ·over the top of the Mount of Olives [^Lbeyond the summit], Ziba, Mephibosheth’s [^CJonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson; 4:4] servant, met him. Ziba had a ·row [string; or couple] of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred ·cakes [or clusters] of raisins, one hundred ·cakes of figs [^Lbunches of summer fruits], and ·leather bags full [skins] of wine. ² The king asked Ziba, “What are these things for?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for your ·family [household] to ride. The bread and ·cakes of figs [^Lsummer fruit] are for the ·servants [men; soldiers] to eat. And the wine is for anyone to drink who might become ·weak [exhausted; faint] in the ·desert [wilderness].”

³ The king asked, “Where is ·Mephibosheth [^Lyour master’s son/grandson]?”

Ziba answered him, “Mephibosheth is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will ·give [^Lrestore] my father’s kingdom back to me!’”

⁴ Then the king said to Ziba, “All right. Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth, I now give to you!”

Ziba said, “I ·bow to you [prostrate myself]. ·I hope I will always be able to please you [^LMay I find favor in your sight/eyes, my lord the king].”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out ·and cursed him [cursing at them]. He was from ·Saul’s family group [^Lthe clan of the house of Saul], and his name was Shimei son of Gera. ⁶ He threw stones at David and his ·officers [officials; ^Lservants], but the people and soldiers gathered ·all around David [^Lto his right and left]. ⁷ Shimei cursed David, saying, “Get out, get out, you ·murderer [^Lman of blood], you ·troublemaker [scoundrel]. ⁸ The Lord is ·punishing [repaying] you for ·the people in Saul’s family you killed [^Lall the bloodshed of the house of Saul]! You ·took [reigned in] Saul’s place as king, but now the Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom! Now you are ·ruined [caught in your own evil] because you are a ·murderer [^Lman of blood]!”

⁹ Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse you, the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”

¹⁰ But the king answered, “·This does not concern you [^LWhat have I to do with you], sons of Zeruiah! If ·he is cursing me because the Lord told him to [^Lthe Lord has told him, “Curse David”] , who can ·question him [^Lsay, “Why have you done so”]?”

¹¹ David also said to Abishai and all his ·officers [officials; ^Lservants], “My own ·son [flesh and blood] is trying to kill me! ·This man is a Benjaminite and has more right to kill me [^LHow much more reason has this Benjaminite; ^Cas a member of Saul’s clan]! Leave him alone and let him ·curse me [^Lcurse], ·because [or if] the Lord told him to do this. ¹² Maybe the Lord will see ·my misery [my affliction/distress; or that I am being wronged] and repay me with ·something good [blessing] for Shimei’s curses today!”

¹³ So David and his men went on down the road, ·but [while] Shimei ·followed [went along] on the nearby hillside. He kept cursing David and throwing stones and ·dirt [flinging dust] at him. ¹⁴ When the king and all his people arrived at the Jordan, they were very tired, so they rested there.

¹⁵ Meanwhile, Absalom, Ahithophel, and all the ·Israelites [^Lpeople/army of Israel] arrived at Jerusalem. ¹⁶ David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

¹⁷ Absalom asked, “·Why are you not loyal [^LIs this the love/loyalty you show] to your friend David? Why didn’t you leave Jerusalem with your friend?”

¹⁸ Hushai said, “I belong to the one chosen by the Lord and by these people and everyone in Israel. I will stay with ·you [^Lhim]. ¹⁹ In the past I served your father. So whom should I serve now? David’s son! I will serve you as I served him.”

Ahithophel’s Advice

²⁰ Absalom said to Ahithophel, “·Tell [^LAdvise; Counsel] us what we should do.”

²¹ Ahithophel said, “Your father left behind some of his ·slave women [^Lconcubines; ^Csecondary wives; 3:7] to take care of the palace. ·Have sexual relations with [Sleep with; ^LGo into] them. Then all Israel will hear that ·your father is your enemy [^Lyou have gravely insulted/made yourself odious to your father], and all ·your people [Israel; or those who support you] will be ·encouraged to give you more [stronger in their] support.” ²² So they put up a tent for Absalom on the roof [^Cthe flat roofs of Israelite houses were used for living space] of ·his palace [^Lthe king’s house] where everyone in Israel could see it. And Absalom ·had sexual relations with [slept with; ^Lwent in to] his father’s ·slave women [concubines].

²³ At that time people thought Ahithophel’s advice was as ·reliable as God’s own word [^Lif one consulted a word/message/oracle from God]. Both David and Absalom thought ·it was that reliable [so].